Finance Minister Allegedly Criticized State-Owned Bank CEO
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa deliberately placed bank president directors in a position to increase government funds by Rp 200 trillion in deposits.
This was not without reason; he wanted to force bankers to work harder and be more creative.
According to him, state-owned bank leaders have been too comfortable. They can earn large profits without having to work hard.
“They’re smart people. But they’ve been lazy because they can keep their money in a safe place. They don’t have to do anything, they can spread it out, and it’s big. So, they probably play golf every Saturday and Sunday,” he quipped after a meeting with the Financial Services Authority (OJK) in South Jakarta on Tuesday (September 16, 2025).
“Now, with that money (Rp 200 trillion), they’re thinking. They should be market-based. They’ll look for projects that offer the highest and safest returns first,” he added.
This could ultimately have a positive impact on both the supply and demand sides. With abundant liquidity, loan interest rates are expected to fall, encouraging people to apply for credit.
“With an injection like that (a Rp 200 trillion injection), the economy should be able to move forward,” he said.
For your information, the Ministry of Finance has allocated Rp 200 trillion to the Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara). Bank Mandiri, BNI, and BRI each have allocated Rp 55 trillion, while BTN has allocated Rp 25 trillion. Furthermore, PT Bank Syariah Indonesia Tbk (BSI) has allocated Rp 10 trillion.
